Many electronic devices are required to be hot-replaceable, a feature also referred to as hot-swappable or hot-pluggable. A hot-replaceable device may be used to support being swapped without first removing power or a critical line to devices in which they reside. Hot-replaceable devices are typically used in modular-computer-systems, for example, where modules are plugged into card-files that contain backplanes.
In such modular-computer-systems, the modules slide into slots of a card-file, where each slot is outfitted with a card-guide. The card-guide plays an important role in the hop-swap circuitry and is typically a necessary feature. Specifically, the card-guide ensures that a module is always properly aligned to a backplane before the electrical connector engages. These illustrative modular-computer-systems typically have modules that have multiple pins with one of the pins, a “short-pin”, being shorter in length relative to the other pins. The short-pin will be the last pin in such illustrative systems to make an electrical connection and the first pin to break the electrical connection when properly aligned by a card-guide.
This use of card-guides may add additional components and cost to a device. In addition, the use of card-guides to ensure proper alignment may limit the location and ability to connect a device to a particular system.
Accordingly, what is needed are efficient and effective systems and methods for ensuring proper alignment of a connector system (e.g., electrical, signal, etc.) without the use of card-guides. In addition, systems and methods are needed to provide a more versatile connector system for hot-replaceable devices.